Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Yesterdays rush, big push, my try to stay ahead of the immediate weather, almost caught up, as late as last night’s eleventh hour. It hasn’t rained a drop on Shorthorn country as predicted. It’s getting to where should a weather imaginatior ever get it right I’d pass all my allegiances over to Santa Claus. At least that grand old elf has never given me a Shorthorn country bum-steer. Okay I’d forgotten to changed the kitties sand box but by the same token I had managed to catch up the laundry. My excuse? I’m only one man!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Oh Lawd, Tomorrow’s the new start for another December month. Where oh where has my lifetime gone. December First tomorrow it’s the bitter reminder the countdown two the day of my demise. That up coming day marks the memory the low down accomplished vamping of my soul to the point I gave away my freedom in memory of a basic black cocktail dress in navy blue teasingly worn over the fringes of white lace. The colleen knew exactly what she was doing orchestrating my demise institutionalizing me with no hope of reprieve all my unnatural life. (sniff)(sob) She was so drop dead beautiful, gorgeous. Yes, she had vamped me alright and had magically kept me on the edge all these many years.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Here and now early morn it is 41* under deeply cloudy skies. The weather jerkimers are still predicting rain showers for today changing to snow showers this evening.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Finally out and about, I put the second hay feeder ring (repaired) back together. Fed the ladies two bales this time. This’ll most likely have me saving chore time feeding the ladies once a day. And oh, we’ve had some jerkermer rain as forecast. The barnyard creek is running full up the banks. That’s good they get it right once in a while to renew my confidence in them.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Needing cat food I decided to waste some gasoline to purchase same in Clio. I also wanted to order some fantasy parts for the quadracycle’s making. Being a rainy day it’d suffice even for a short drive. (hehehehe)Drive-ride update:We moseyed over to Clio. 1st stop the Senior Citizen Center where we picked up several skeins of yarn for Frieda’s projects for roughly 70% off. That was a very useful bargain stop. 2nd stop Aco hardware was shopping opportunity for both of us; Frieda for her yarn, myself for hardware for either Cushman or quadracycle parts. Frieda came away empty handed, I found me a “U”bolt for Cushman. 3rd stop another hardware store for my seeking a yoke for Cushman governor linkage. This stop provided me with an identifying term (Yoke) for the wanted hardware part. Our 4th stop we were in the TSC parking lot. My pockets filled with varied parts, I had entered the store, grabbed a cart and on my way to the service counter I picked up a bag cat food. While I needed the cat food I was primarily looking for drive train parts for the quadracycle. Before we were all through every TSC store employee was involved in my parts search. We all had a good time. Seemed none of them wanted to miss my involvements, me dialogue my crazy hobbies(?). Anyway, I walked out with more money spent on parts than I had originally intended to even purchase at this time that included one special order sprocket. No luck here either for Cushman part, however, I was directed to another merchant, an the ATV dealer including parts and service stop. Hitting the road following the directions we never found the place. We did pass through a couple little rain showers. Why I even stopped for an unmanly asking for more directions some eight miles already traveled. An instructed change in direction gained me (us) nothing. But we had a splendid dark rainy day drive around a big-a block which eventually brought us nearing home right through the Crossroads and by Ralph’s hardware store. Ah what the heck! I had made other stops. One more stop couldn’t hoit! Barely inside making ask, Ralph directed son to back room. Walla, and there they were, a whole box full of them. I selected the yoke closest to what I needed. I was near tickled blue. Anybody else I’ll allow pink. But for meself its blue.We had had a nice ride (drive) about our county even covering a couple roads I couldn’t remember when nor even if I‘d seen them before. It was good getting back home. A day so condemnably dreary of all the rotten luck we were an hour early for my rattlers. With little improvement I fell into an hour’s nap waking up still later for taking my medicine. Aside from the weather and pain there of I’ve had a fair day. Holy Sham-moo, I’ve got to get it together tomorrow for sure.“Rainbows.”Fernan

Monday, November 29, 2010

High-Ho neighbors, looking for an old home-made cold remedy?It just happens go something like this:Stir in to one half glass warm water;One jigger Southern Comfort whiskey (or booze of your choice (Rum isn't bad),One jigger [i]apple cider[/i] vinegar,One jigger lemon juice,And at least one whole tablespoon bees honey.Stir it all together and I suggest while it is still warm drink it all down in three or four gulps, making all gone.

Two of our family doctors have confirmed this tonic has everything in it to comfort a cold, sooth a sore throat, runny nose, cut phloem, quiet the nerves, help a body sleep and whatever else I may think up later.Been truly tried and tested on our seven plus children over a child rearing 30 year period plus use upon Her Mostess’s biggest baby, me every since then.Fernan~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Slept comfortably eight hours. No wind, supposed to stay above freezing, I let the fire die over night. So I’d clean out the ashes this AM. That’s done. Fires going again with more room for more wood. Going to be a beautiful/gorgeous day here today. Couldn’t be an asked for nicer one this late into Fall.Today’s do’s include loading up more spools my wanting to pickup all the fences. Going to be so nice I had better be getting with it bringing in my firewood.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Okay I ain’t been setting the world on fire charging out into the light of day. But I’ll tell ya what it weren’t any help one way or another a early start. The weather forecaster lied through his teeth. The temps got down to at least 28* made for frost on the leftover pumpkins spoilings. Between 9:00 AM and 1:00 PM the wet grasses and mud’s did nothing but let my traction driven tires slip and slid, all traction lost under my wire winders tires to the thawing of the morning frost leaving’s grasses slippery. It was 1:00PM before I was making any time winding wires. Fence posts were easy coming up as I rolled along rolling up these wires. Had a good day of it at that with the exception while I needed the hay ring the ladies had folded up for fixed and back here where I needed it. While I had left it in front of the shop Bro’ couldn’t find it, and when he did he found fault with it. Well why wouldn’t he find fault with it? It was broken into! That’s why I put it there, its need fixed. Well the jest of it he had to have it gotten up and set so’s he could make fix welding it back together. Okay, I had it set, could I get away. No! he needed baby sitten. Oh crud! Didn’t I know it. I was trapped, drafted into standing by handing this finding that and hold this or that down. He managed get a good start eating up my day. The piece of hay ring loaded he was chomping at the bit to scrub brush (chop). “How about my having lunch?” I asked. Well now that question about put him up a tree. He’d had his after he’d called me earlier. And when he called I was way out back all lined up wire tied to a spool and ready to roll up another long leg, Almost a ½ mile this one. So, about the time I made my farm yard I jumped Greene and headed his way like it were an emergency postponing my lunch. I had hardly swallowed just some of it down and he was all but honking me out in my yard. A quick swallow and a gulp the last of my milk gone, I joined Bro’ in my yard. We put the flail machine on the JCB. I automatically manned the gates passing us through. I pointed him in the direction I had cleared of fences for him to go. I set about picking up another long leg adjoining the bottom hollow. I barely made the other end and bro’ had troubled. A hydraulic fitting on the brush chopper had sprung a leak. This took me away from my doings to take broken machine aprt for his part replacement travels tomorrow among others. Best I could do was one more long leg out to the west side the Duck Pond pasture. Sun about setting I had ash buckets and trash to pick up and pack on up to the house. Tomorrow trask day I had my trash to gift wrap. It was a failing twilight I had finally made it in. Curses, I’ve still had the firewood on Dumpy truck’s back to bring in the house. I had me a whole hour to to do it before the predicted 10:00PM rains start. I finished toting in the wood at 11:10 PM. I’m well done.“Rainbows.”Fernan

Sunday, November 28, 2010

Concerning I-net coffee percolators:I'm ready for somethin on, hot, ready to pour.Fire kept all nite our house was a chilly one to wake up late to.Worse yet I can't believe it is still the weekend. Well at least that fact is still a good one for those weekend warriors who haven't yet filled the deer tags.My warring? Dumpy's backed up to the deck with a load of wood on its back to be carried into the house.While out re-supplying gasoline and medications I also stocked up on marshmallows for a different raccoon live trap catching bait.Youngest daughter visited us yesterday upset with us because we weren't home turkey day. Yeah sure! We haven't heard from her in months and we're supposed to be here waiting for her, otherwise she's just as happy as if she were in her right blond mine. Kids? I can't ever remember what ever it was the reason I wanted kids? Oh well, they did fill a thirty year gap between the reasons why I married their mother.(Hehehe), I did manage her handling the gates while I hayed the ladies evening last.Middle daughter’s birthday today.Otherwise, everything else around here is the same old, same old.Fernan~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Taken my time moving this morning a relaxed with Herr Clink listening to her complain about advertising on the commercial movie channels. Tried as I may, there was my no convincing her just because they were on cable didn’t necessarily make all the movie offerings commercial free.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This morning’s chores now includes fresh hay silage at the feedings. After I had given the ladies their first fresh bale, I loaded the next six dry bales on a couple wagons for movement between farms, and lastly I brought another fresh bale up to the house for this evening’s Lady feeding.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This afternoon’s adventures took me to field for a highly unusual fall endeavor rolling up the electric fences. It wasn’t until I started taking up the second leg did I discover how easily the electric posts come up out of the earth. Supposed to be warm tomorrow, with a low of 41* with a high of 46*. I may just have everything picked up out back and cleared away by tomorrow‘s close.The idea is my wanting all the ways clear of wire for felling trees and alike. The place is littered with dead ash and a few left over still standing dead elms, plus I don’t know why a couple chunks of oak coming down. I can cut wood all winter long for simple entertainment and fun of it. Aren‘t I lucky!Here I was doing my thing when I’m celled, “You bringing me some hay?” in my mind, “What it this?” Only hours ago Tom was questioned as to why he was unloading the last hay bale of one of these wagon. Greene short on the Ugly’s traction if I were to move those wagons, even empty, it had to be done on frozen soil. Already loaded, I cut my fence winding (taking up) and put the truckster away. To truck the hay loads on down the road. Warm enough today my luckily finding a fair track this hay was delivered and parked in the yonder hay-yard.Got to say it, the Truckster is running better every day, smooth, even, nicely sounding, including some very exciting new zip in the old machine‘s driveline. Need make a couple more small improvements and hopefully the engine will accept some more fine tuning.Oh my, I find myself at a loss for words. Time to call it a night.“Rainbows.”Fernan

Saturday, November 27, 2010

In a skillet a-top the stove I made us an open faced kische with a side order of grated tator, and oat meal bread toast. ‘Oly crap, it turned out rather good.I shure hope this doesn’t become hobbit forming. I much rather somebody else do the cooken, my eating it.Wonder if I’ll have time to bake a pie today?Now I’ve got to get out and feed the ladies. Time to open my oldest haylage cells. Now I’ve got to amble.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~First out in the hay yard I opened and fed my first silage bale to the ladies. After that I put this morning’s time in at the shop finishing taking the second spool apart. Then sawed one spool side into usable project materials until about 1:00 PM. I think I’ll do the other side tomorrow.My lunch was a broad daylight icebox raid. Then it were time I moseyed over to Otisville to pickup some called in scripts and fuel Greene before I was pushing it off the road. On way back home stopped and thanked Trapper agin for his helping me set those garden gate posts week before last. Getting home one long lost daughter had come to see us. And I threw a medium sized load of wood on Dumpy’s back. Then tried backing it close to the deck. I chiwawa, I backed up close alright knocking the deck almost clean around on the house’s corner’s. Oh well a chain hooking it to Dumpy back side will likely wind up pulling the deck to the middle of the front yard. Oh well, that’s still close if I don’t jerk it plum out of the yard. (grin)“Rainbows.”Fernan

Friday, November 26, 2010

These snap shots were taken last week. I’ve been that long trying to load them to my journal ever since them. What has taken me so long to get them here, Photobucket the picture server I use had changed their picture keeping, moving, bringing them up formats. It is only this evening I accidentally got a second one of them to come up. The second picture wasn’t much easier. However, when it did happen I understood how I had moved the first one. The third photo was real snap. So here I go……………

Oh rats!Here is one. Our dear Sweetheart has undoubtedly put this vermin character down. This was the west side (other side) of my driveway. Look at the size of this bugger.What isn’t pictured are the three mice she’d left lifelessly laying on the nearer side of the drive. Sweetheart can be one busy unkind of a cat.

A couple deer taken this last Sunday out back.The taker of these had shot the four pointer and while he waited his twenty minutes before going down to check on it the eight pointer com walking along. As long as he had a second tag, he harvested the eight pointer as well.Then while he was field dressing these two out a third buck, bigger than the first two put together, no tag’s left he had to let the big twelve pointer go.

This photo was taken from inside the JCB skid-steer as I was coming up out of the hay yard.This lady is one of several smart arsed opportunists. My clearing the fence gate, I had to hustle getting out closing sure the hay-yard to her.“Rainbows.”Fernan

Black Friday and I’m (We’re) not going shopping anywhere. I can run into more than enough traffic right out here in the barn yards. I’ve even more than enough motoring ahead of me today moving hay feeder rings and the potential same.Backing the tractor up here; even as much as we’re in need of cat food and my picking out and ordering my own quadracycle building components, for getting back to this project’s assembly advances. By gum, I’ve gotten myself involved with to many kind of electric trains: The azzkicker (Maybe on whole day to completely finish), the new (to us) Haulster revitalization, and the new transportation’s fun quadracycle (this project shared for as much the social atmosphere in the local race care building shop liking in a way similar to a toy shop). Youser! They’s also my age’s toy trains. Damn if a second childhood isn’t a number of adult toy store adventures.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~C…Co…Cold 26*>28* bone chilling wind chilled single digit temperature factors, outside. (brrr) It’s so cold here the house feels as though it is be bombarded with an east wind In reality our weather is moving over from a westerly west by northwest direction.The building of a couple new super heavy duty hay-ring feeders is nowhere near the electric train adventure as the afore mention more useless (hush my mouth) projects.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~For the boards:Black Friday's no day to be out and about any city or town sporting a chain store outlet. All the women pushing and shoving, more women squeezing to get by.What the _ell 'ave I been thinking, "Staying home?"~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~More on eating. The ham Frieda had prepared only a couple days ago was a very pleasant change from what could well a boring week of turkey leftovers. It was ham for last night’s supper. We enjoyed a peach strudel dessert along with our light supper. Later I raided the turkey platter for a small bedtime snack. Oh the misery in it all. I can already image all the weight I’ll have added on my aching joints, not to mention my bulk. I see a diet in my near future to have only find it a waste of time by the time two more Holiday feasts culminate with a lengthening hangover over my belt if I were to ever wear one again. (sigh)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~My getting me together with Tom’s help, his showing up out here at either just the right or wrong time, I had him help me move a useful hay feeder, fill it with a dry bale, take away the hay ring the ladies near destroyed yesterday, and bring up two conduit hauling spools from out a big backyard‘s field. Finally on the road I brought the flat rack out of the eastern yard up at the barn down the road, unloaded it beside Bro’s growing burn pile, and brought it emptied back here. Using the JCB I loaded those two spools on it along with the one broken panel of the three that made up the whole of the broken ring.Down at the shop setting up shop just outside the shop doors. The shop to my back breaking a sharp wind I commenced to take countless numbers of nuts and bolts apart to have eventually let that first spool collapse before me. That was one down and one to go. While I didn’t finish taking the second spool apart, I’ve got it worried! The time being moving faster and faster, my knees and claves giving me a variety of tell tale signs, It was time to ease off and head for home for a couple reasons. One was stopping by Loopy Acres and check estates Mistress and her life in the fast lane. She looked good, her eyes sparkling, and in good spirits in spite her accumulation of recent ailments. I predict she’ll shortly be good as new, if for no other reason other than she’s got to keep her men in line. ;^)) (hehehehe)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~By gum the warmth of the house my walking in was a welcomed sensation making my skin percolate, seeping through my clothing warming my flesh all rosy down under. E-gads, for old times sake this warmth is not anywhere near the same what used to meet me at the door, sum years ago, my coming home after a long day’s labor. Oh yes she had kisses………..something better than wine.“Rainbows.”Fernan

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Is this one of them special Turkey Day’s? From my childhood, I seem to remember Thanksgiving falling on the twenty fifth was a good omen for a Christmas season’s special beginning.Well so we’ve got rain this morning. It could have been snow if it were just a little bit colder. Letters of old were better written and mailed in time for North Pole delivery. Santa those years always looked and sounded better at Sears. We had the most fun finding our special Christmas tree, always sitting off to one side nobody else wanted. That’d be one them year’s we’d be trimming the lopiest sided fire tree blessed with a bird’s nest making it even extra special having had a family living it, building it, filling it, with devoted love before its blessing had been brought into our happy home; for my parents were always the happiest billing and cooiest couple of people I was to ever know. They were magic. TV was never as good, even when it come along, as my parent watching. They were a real hoot always doing for each other I reaped a lot of the extra love.Spring’s survey my first twenty two years born and brought up for that one special girl. Summer’s beginning was finding whom I was born to love and live for. It was an adventure only a man and woman meant for each other could gleam those many magic moments what magical living flying faster than I could remember. Fall’s remembering, recapping so many moments, with time to laugh at all the pitfalls we had survived. Watching each son and daughter fall in love. This was a time we learned what it was all about loving a spouse to keep and loving a child to give away.***************Going to be a busy morning. While the bird thaws, I’ve ladies a-field and kitties down in the barn to tend to. Then I must hurry back clean up, change, and start my stuffings, my vegtables, and more importantly somebody else is making the pies. ***************Having packed up dinner we shared it in another’s household. On getting back in time my able to see myself doing the evening chores. I see the ladies have near destroyed another hay ring. They about a 1/3 of their present hay ring folded into. Sheesh, I have two new things I’ve got to do tomorrow. One: unload scrap wood and fence posts off flat rake hay wagon. Two: replace damaged hay ring with a better one and take the broken to shop for another repair. Third: use empty hay wagon again to bring up out of the field two plastic electrical conduit spools for refashioning iton extremely heavy duty hay rings. Four: on flat rack wagon haul spools to shop for disassembly. And while Greene needs refueling I’m going to wonder when I’ll find time to order parts I can’t afford for quadracycle?While I’m at it I’m going to wonder when will I ever finish the Azzkicker and now a new wrinkle…how will I ever make it winter usable? A very good question for using such a delicate contraption, no letting the ribbon of choice for the gate, keeping it from either freezing down or become mired in the mud tractor tires passing over it both ways? Hmmm, I wonder if I could rig something up and down liking a railroad crossing gate?Now that I’ve re-raised some questions to dream on?“Rainbows.”Fernan

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

….Begins I had better look up turkey recipe. I know how I want it put together. Just need to know length of roasting. This cooking thing isn’t my prime indoor occupation being an outdoor kind of nut liking fresh air and space. Yeah, I know it is Wednesday, having written nothing for yesterday I add Tuesday’s adventures here. For daylight starters I was out before daylight loading two ladies tripping for the livestock exchange, each traveling in her own private compartment. When our ladies travel the these two had gotten first class accommodations. The only way to go.Back home another tea, a wait for another hour, for Frieda’s diabetic blood sugar check. Was okay, and back home for breakfast. I had a new list of things to do. Primarily get an old Melroe plow out for required parts survey. Looks like it needs a couple coulters, half dozen moldboards, half dozen plow points, and at least one 11.00x14 tire. (And what have I got? A couple spare 11.00x15 tires and only one implement wheel.) Gotta do some serious shopping for the rest.Back to the turkey, I like to stuff my bird with a dry dressing. I toast my bread and cut it up into cubes (crotons?) and put in lots if cut up veggies: garlic, onion, celery, sliced red sweet pepper, and shaved thin carrot. I use the red pepper and finely sliced orange carrot for color. I’ll season bird with pepper, minimal salt, sage. slather bird with granola oil. I’m thinking 20 min/pound for a ten pound bird at 325*, 3 ½ hours.Yeah, I’m talking turkey. I’m a customary deep cast iron kettle maker of stew, galosh, soup; barbequed fish, steaks, burgers, fried eggs and fish; and, I can make a pancake. Have got to try biscuits one day.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Xmas tree talk every body’s has a different idea. We started out sharing our first cut Xmas tree with Mom. Our second year we endlessly enjoyed our first live Christmas tree having gone out picking it out and trading a round point shovel for an axe or saw We put it’s roots in apiece of burlap again setting it in half bushel basket. Told we couldn’t keep that tree in the house for no more than three days it survived an eight day Holiday before we carried it out giving it two new leases in life. Number one we had saved that spruce tree from one use toilet paper. Secondly that tree surviving the New Year’s day planting has been a constant reminder of our first year two weeks married life celebration, secondly that tree well over forty or more feet tall now has been home for a many a bird nesting’s hatched eggs families. We won some, lost some, learning hard lessons on giving live Holiday Christmas trees renewed lives. All of those survivors were planted in two welcoming sites not only offering winged wildlife’s songbirds shelter and sanctuary but also beautifying otherwise empty spaces, and providing cooling shade to anyone stopping under any one of them for a moment‘s rest.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Living here this house so very small we haven’t had a tree. However I’m weighing the possibility of hanging our previously decorated Christmas wreath (lites and ornaments) in our doubled dining area window? Most interesting part of the wreath’s trimmings are the use of some many many-a-year old obsolete light bulb string. In an effort to help them last longer I had wired in at least two extra light sockets thus lowering the voltage across the whole single string lot of them. Yeah, I’m thinking it’ll add a festive touch to this ware-housed home. Sorry about the description. It is what it is!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~It being a long weekend’s start, this morning’s first I made a left turn out of drive for the elevators, all both of them. The first for the shelled corn re-supply, the second for the quantity’s weight slip. Got that done and out of the way in anticipation a surprise request for another grind.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~An hour for lunch to include figuratively lick my sore knees. What the, this could well be last decent day before real weather sets in. I ladder worked the tract hardware inside the barn first. Pitching the ladder against the outside I casually worked each track hanger in turn until with only two heavy bolts for the last two hangers to go my knees came into my mind figuratively demanding enough’s enough. I played with my tools from that ladder my mind saying, “Just one more climb, that’s all, one more climb,” that last hour and a half. Three thirty I was loading my tools, ladders, and damaged old track on Greene. Was a quarter after four o’clock. Enough was enough by this time as I had most everything put away. It were time to come home.Then Dam_ it to _ell, while I’m a setting here typing this watching the dark come down over the window I realized I had forgotten my ladies evening chores. In my nightshirt, I stepped into my tux, lazily slipped my rubber boots, and departed. Returning it were a simple matter to slip out of my boots(no laces to contend with), stepped out of my tux and resumed my lazy sordid evening’s behavior.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I have discovered an unscrupulous pickpocket has mysteriously settled in around here. Case in point I’ve lost my keys three times during the last four days. It being no easy matter replacing them my having had the unbounded pleasure of loosing them sums days past. My pockets near emptied a couple days ago I caught sight some foot prints up and down the driveway. Could they belong to the filching culprit. Yeah, I followed them alright loosing them out at the end of the ramp. Rather sneaky this criminal minded adversary. Hmmm, as long as I was at the end of the ramp I could just as well walk up to the house and make me a cup-a-tea. A cup of tea in my hand sitting it down beside the computer. My chair a mess on top my couple added cushions, one for added height and the top one notched for my tail bone‘s relief, thus no left temple headaches. The two cushions removed my thinking I’d straighten up my cushions covering. Walla, and what to my wondering eyes did I see, some sparkling and twinkling down on the left side between where the cushions had been and the chair’s arm, were my keys, gobs and bunches of them. It would appear as if when I’ve relaxed, tilting back my recliner the contents of my pockets had been pilfered right here during my relaxings. Dam_, Just what I need. Now I’ve got to keep a wary eye upon a sneaky kleptomaniac chair. There seems to be crime everywhere, these difficult economic times, even places not so likely.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Well, it’d been a pretty good day after all. Remarkably (my point of view) I got a lot done today: Hauled in fresh supply shelled corn, finished replacing the sliding barn door hardware, and finished rehabilitating the last of the lost (broken) gate handles. Yup, it were a good day. One more thing to write it about. My fingers getting cold today I’m thinking it won’t be long and I’ll be doubling up my work gloves before long. “Rainbows.”Fernan

Monday, November 22, 2010

….I ain’t right as Loopy suggests. IT IS raining here this morning. So much to do as always I’m delighted. Hang the mud that will ooze up of the soaked earth. I‘m ready to accept I. A body has got to have some rest every now’n’then. I happen to be just one of them body’s.I was going to taken\ a few moments he’re and post some pics I’ve taken some of these last days what I’ve seen involved some the going on’s. BALDERDASH! It seems Photobucket is making some changes and my copy isn’t working. I guess we’ll be waiting a spell before seeing them. Fooey!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Thunder storms with rain showers here all day. Left limb bothering me was no day in any way, shape, manner or form for my climbing any ladder. Spent my busy time in the shop today staying dry. Poked around on Haulster, found the broken ignition wire needing fix. Put a gallon gas in the fuel tank, found fuel pump’s working and fuel filter leaking.Got into trimming back some expired gate handles, put them in a bucket to go home. Was well after dark and I had fixed half them good as new to do their gate handling thing once more. Darned if I didn’t forget to work on Azzkicker. One good efforts push and I might have finished it. Lawd knows I might have had more than enough time. Damn, that’s what happens when a project gets pushed to far back out of the way and something else set down in front of it.Maybe next time I’ll finish something. There’re the other half the gate handle rejuvenations to finish. There’s a wire needing a fix and a couple gasoline hose clamps needed and I may just hear the Haulster run. When I hear that Haulster’s engine run then we can get into battery relocation, some suspension modifications for rural ground clearance, floor repairs, bumpers and a full body restoration.Meanwhile, A yawn has it……zzzzzzzz“Rainbows.”Fernan

Sunday, November 21, 2010

The more I live each new day the faster time flies, the faster the Holidays descend upon me.I’m not exactly sure what’s happened to Della. The new kitten aged somewhere maybe between ten to twelve weeks old, that’s all, Frieda trying all manner of names finally settling on “Tas” from Tasmanian Devil (after the kitten‘s rather unorthodox behavior. This calico many bright colors was born to play, love and beloved in her bust busy-way. Ah yes a very purr-cosious critter bouncing around the house liking a popcorn kernel destined to remain an old maid trying to let its inner self out is showing Della the way to pet-full happiness behavior.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Unmentioned activities for the rest of the troops activities had them push a good lot of the cattle through the chutes, where in they wormed and inoculated. A couple of these ladies with their tattooed and tagged calves were moved to winter quarters. A couple more head, a blind bull and an odd freemartin heifer were bus loaded and ticketed to Dizzyland for their last amusements before being worthily boned out and hamburger packaged.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Last night taking inventory my behavior, I told my Frieda, “I may have to take up smoking to quit sucking Wintergreen Lifesavers.” She thought that….well….never mind…….And life goes on.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~A posted Turkey story reminded us……..Although our parents poultry keepings were small. Setting hens hatching out new young hatch about the end of each Spring they weren't whole sale operations. Although mom had steady store and private customers for them.Oh lawd, cleaning the hen house out each spring and fall during cooler weather on a day with a more or less stiff breeze as many the windows we could open, the ammonia in the manure was about breathtaking. And how it was it seemed I was elected and handed first the hatch and then the boiled hot water to kill and dress an extra chicken should we have unexpected Sunday company for dinner.Sorry! No use stopping in unexpectedly around here. The hen house houses on these farms have been turned into storage sheds these last twenty five years.And remember, you are what you eat.Pleasant Feasting~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Another board topic: Sky fallen balloons!It's always been a concern of mine some thoughtless soul launching these tempting turned trash curiosities a critter who’d bend to ingest such a thing and sample it. Read on as I've herd this story repeated. A young yet some years ago, at that time having come out to this very farm for one dairyman Johnson's slobbering dairy cow. Puzzled and watching the gentle beast, her licking the inside her right cheek, Doc Pearson (still living) reached right in, way back, into her mouth and cheek and brought out a tin can lid eatened from farmer Johnson's very own trash dump. :yes:FernanI think I've averaged a thin vinyl or rubber balloon and all its tailing streamers every other year since moving out here. Some thoughtless people will go to any height to spread potential trash over a placid country scene.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~While still morning, planning my breakfasting, I hadn’t made up my mind whether I wanted to either get into trouble or tire myself out. Still have them barn door tracks to finish if the scene’s devoid the troops or cut and split firewood out here along side the house. Meanwhile Frieda’s dressed and ready for church to confess my sins. Should be a heck of a day which ever way I turn.Air’s nippy. Mostly cloudy with a bit of sun trying to peek through as I diligently tell it like it is without any embellishments. ;^)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~More and less, plans whatever they might have been can be changed around here in an instant. Take for instance the library throne had over flowed messing that floor. Argh! Towels thrown on the floor to quickly soak up that what could be rivers held from spreading into the hall and cascading from about the hot air register under the vanity to the basement floor below.It’s offal my abandoning my duty to do chores finding two ladies out for the crews messing up my gates positioning about the barnyard. Enlisting aid my aid coming to my need we had the ladies back in where they belonged in good time. I’d never gotten them in by myself. Tasting freedom they’d not come back willingly for one only drover.Where they belonged I had witness two buck kills take from out back.Moseyed across the road, winding up drinking coffee, smoking, and sampling schnapps. Floor scrubbing could wait. Frieda’s prescripts called in, dinner eatened, I was on my way turning left out the drive way for drug and grocery stores. By the time I got back I had spent a bundle of bucks on medications, included for starts onions, celery, cranberries (I can’t have), diced tomatoes on sale, ice-cream, and cookies. Getting back it were quarter to dinner.What little I had been out had determined me I wasn’t going up any ladder. Should my nee give out I’ve enough padding to bounce cleanly enough for a winning score. I guess I had better wash floors. Getting is some thinking I receive a call. A fence is down at the other end. Hokay, I loaded myself in Greene toting three buckets of tools and fence supplies. The uneven ground in the pens, the fence down between two, my knee complained loudly in my mind. To keep the knee company I’d developed a pain in my neck’s lower left side below the ear. What? I carried on doing what I had to do even caught in the draft for moving some ladies and spring calves around. I was also to learn I’d never accomplished any work on the sliding door tract as the troops had rallied around a head-gate partially parked in the same door way. A working conflict of labors somebody would had been in somebody else’s way. I had managed to goof off 80% of my day engaged if frivolous endeavors returning home I repaired the same fence gate the morning‘s two ladies had gone through to wind there way out into areas where upon I‘d decided they had not belonged. Putting my tools away. Gathering up a piece of wire, a pair of pliers I head for the house. Darkness came early this evening the sun having had gone into hiding when I had first left this morning.Believe it or not, but I feel some rested having been hard at it accomplishing near nothing all day.“Rainbows“Fernan.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

It was just as if I knew what I was doing when I took the woodstove’s stack fan apart day before yesterday. Opened up inner soul bared, if I may use the terminology, I vacuumed and dug as much dust of the jungled workings a supposedly fan attached fan motor. Not really clean enough and not wanting to use air to blow it cleaner, I merely pointed the barrel of my repeating oil can at four body parts, maybe over doing it a bit, my wanting to make some oil got somewhere. Sitting my oil can gun aside I spun the fan on its axis, surprised it had turned so freely with but one sloppy treatment. Trial or error time I put it all back together again, plugged it in and took up waiting to see or feel or hear it work. The motor on a thermal switch when hot enough would turn it on. It were going to be a wait to know if my effort was successful if it worked without smoking. The chimney stack plugged back into the wall, I had to be moving on. Outside work don’t we all know.For the rest of that day and most of yesterday Not here to witness any fan activity when I had come in last night, asking if it had worked, all I got was, “I haven’t heard a thing. I don’t know?” So I settled in for the evening thinking/wondering where I might find a fitting replacement motor. No smoke, no fire, no stink, on the outside the tin flue I settled in for the evening and the eventual night.Having leaned back in a reclining position after supper, part way though a TV Holiday movie I’m looking across the room, so to speak, and see the new newest cat addition our household. Toting in a Dumpy truck load of wood a couple days ago, half of it handily stacked beside the wood stove, I I thought I was seeing what looked like cat on the woodstove. I spoke to Frieda, “Look at that silly kitten walking on the wood stove. “No she’s not. She’s on the wood pile.” I returned with, “Well of all the… She looks to me as if she’s on the stove and if there’s anything I don’t want is a roasted pussy!” Frieda damned near went into hysterics: red faced, tears washing her cheeks, and nearly rolling off the sofa laughing so long and hard. “Roasted pussy?!” she repeated me and went into hysterics again. Good Lawd, I got to be more careful what I might say.It was during the night the house supposedly still and silent I heard noises? A humming sound wasn’t the refrigerator, it weren’t the furnace for I hadn’t turned it on, nor was it the TV drowning out my accompanying crickets. Rising I turned one ear this way and that still unable to distinguish from were the “hmmmm” was coming from. To Hell with it for the moment I resumed my water haul. Returning I decided I better put another log on the fire. In doing so I was closer to the hum. Hmm, was it, is it, I stepped along side the stove careful not to roast any of my once important parts, closed the distance between that stack fan and my ear. Eureka! I believe I had found that sweet little hum. To be sure I put my right hand up close to the stack’s discharge side and I felt the soft breeze of warmed air enveloping my whole hand, it worked/works. So quiet as since I can’t remember it ever was so many years ago, With a successful master’s smile I returned to my pallet, goofy Della cat and sleep. Now, as to the afore mentioned Della cat…………She’s known as Della of whom I written before. Being here for the last 2 ½ years she’s been extremely shy about really get into the mix with this little family. Now enter one little no more than even a handful of a kitten, this last month or so, Della has slowly but surely decided to blend into the fray. Night before last Della joined me on my bed shinning up to me taken to sharing it with me. While she didn’t keep my feet warm she did cozy herself under a free hand for some cuddling. Either Della’s going off her rocker or she taking lessons from watching the kitten. Last night she joined me twice after a couple my water hauls. Crazy cat, being a feline I shan’t try to figure her out.When I weren’t interrupted I fought those front doors on the upper barn. Getting the damaged track down wasn’t easy. Seems we had welded all the section together put that doubled 26’ track up all in one piece. That wasn’t the way it was going to be today. Finally finding a use for a hand held band saw (Chicago Electric from Harbor Freight) purchased some time ago on sale) I had cut that whole length of track into more easily manageable ¼ pieces. Then I started putting the replacements up replacing the damaged track by myself. From where the original pieces had fallen all I had to do was put the new pieces up without loosing them. A 1”x6” nailed to a beam adjacent to door opening’s left, a piece of plywood “C” clamped to that for midget scaffold, balancing each piece on at a time, I managed to horse the open end up upon that mini scaffold my climbing up a ladder with the open end. With one of the hangers placed over an existing hole I drove a bolt into that existing hole in the barn. Adding the second track I did with it as I had the first. About the time my left knee was screaming pain I had by that time driven three bolts into the barn. By no means ready to take the weight of a rolling door I’ve got the project well in hand just the same. So long as I don’t fall off a ladder tomorrow I may just finish it?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Oh boy, the second oldest son has called and his pretty little wife wants us to come visit them. I don’t know? Having just been declared legally blind this last week, I think it’d look rather odd my driving along the road ways waving a white cane around feeling my way along. I might better stay closer to home.Frieda’s been experiencing some dizzy spells. She’d consumed some orange juice today. The juice had straightened her right up. Could it be she’s on the verge of being diabetic? “Rainbows”Fernan

Friday, November 19, 2010

Snow, what snow, I see no snow! A neighbor lady, mentioning no names reporting snow. My nearest encounter with snow was the hard nosed frozen mini icy snow balls or they’s icy mini snowballs. They was a nosey undeveloped calamity beating a presence upon Greene’s windshield and body tin as I move it around the yard emptying leftover supplements, and holiday grub. One benefit to arise out of the real fluffy stuff’s arrival cools down to I had better be clearing all these trucks beds clear of misc. odds and ends mostly (really) unneeded leaving the boxes empty to carry real loads in/out and upon them. This going for outside the house. Inside its another story.My innocently asking my tripping upon a mounting pile of laundry, Herr Clink hit me with a crabby dissertation in a flurry of quickly spoken words, some of them she didn‘t have anything in it she needed.. Okay, I opened a door stepped over the over flowing laundry basket, dragged it through that open door into the stair well leading down and down into the dungeons where in mechanical slaves were pressed into a washing’s start the first half that grown pile. Reminds me, I’d better be going down their again check progress the first half forced ho air dried, the second half put to the agitated scrubbing.Crab ass, telling me she making some changes around here. Uh ugh! Sure! I’m appreciating the extra time kicking my heals up after one my busy outdoor days? ‘Specially not figuring how I’ll fit in sums domestic duties with all my other response abilities? What’ll any body bet me I get to stuff the turkey again this year? I see some near ruined carrots in the ice box and the red pepper I brought home for stuffing’s color.This turkey only ten pounds How do I make stove top stuffing that’ll taste just as liking the same?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Weather’s definitely cooling off out there. I gots the feeling I’ll be wearing a tux thru the seasons from here on out close to Spring. (brrr) I like Winter.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I’m not sure I’d found our mail particularly friendly today?My mind is filled with questions and anxiety. Doc has made an polycythemia something or other appointment with some cancer institute for my Froieda. Maybe I’ve got something to worry about, maybe not? The appointment is for almost four weeks away and I’ve uneasy questions cursing my mind? Whatever this is it has something to do the an over production red blood cells. Which in turn is something that has something to do with bone marrow?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Outside before I had seen or even had dreamed what was it I’d have found in the mailbox I had put in two stints up at the barn, one this morning, the other this afternoon. Up and down two ladders one of them shifted between both sides the same wall undoing barn door track one bolt at a time two per hanger a hanger every to feet. I had quit a half hour short of noon my knees paining me. Not just the left one I’ve become accustomed to, but the right knee also, likely in sympathy for the left one. Facing facts it could be my knees had been bent for and aft perhaps as many times as allowed in one lifetime. Still for all that I really like doing around here I’ve got to wait upon the good while take a bit the bad with the this project.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Between my headaches and all the pains in the varied joints in my carcass the weather’s about to change for the worse. I wish I’d have four or five more open days then by gumbo let it snow, let it snow me a whole foot of the lovely stuff to blanket the earth keeping the soil under it warm until next Spring when the sun will again cross over the equator. Of course a little freezing the ground right behind my barn could be quite handy allowing me to walk a-top the mud for some outside barn back doors and wall repairs.“Rainbows”Fernan

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Got to run errands (nuts) including picking up specks. I’d had let the specks wait if it weren’t for their capping my must do this’d’that running around to take care of some living essentials. Add in I must grind today there’ll be little time for even incidental fixings for last half my afternoon. (hehe) Maybe I’ll get to play with Haulster should I be in the shop vicinity* without something more important pressing my time. Oh crap, I’ve just thought of something what needs some attention, my barn’s back doors.The proceeding written even before breakfast. Slept 10 hours last night. Waking late stupidity, I had even run my glass of water and forgot to take my rattlers after which I must wait an entire hour before eating. Me, dumb? One rewarding thing (if it were one) I kept the fire going all night. I’m so proud of myself…..*If I hadn’t found the correct spelling for this word “vicinity” I’d have tried smelling it with an “f,” ficinity or “ph” phicinity, sticking to my guns leaving it smelt that one way or the other! Uh, oh how I like a good laugh, even if it’s at myself…..~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This morning’s TV news?If some single-stock stock-holders haven’t yet lost enough, GM’s selling more stock. If you got the bucks, ante up! Palan thinks she can beat Obama out of the White House? GW Bush to get nation’s highest peace award? Poles suggest marriage is becoming old fashioned. Synthetic pot popular with teens, undetectable in drug use tests. Have you got yours? Wisconsin man arrested after shooting his TV set. Uh, has it become an ill-eagle act to shoot one’s own TV?Was a lot of fun stuff in this morning’s news. ROFLMAO as long as I can’t do nothing about it (the news).~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Left turn out the driveway heading northeast as best I could through a series of right and left hand turns and had accomplished 75% of my running list. The noon hour shining brightly via the dash clock on my way home from the furthest stop I saw the junkyard I’d been passing my traveling this road dozens of times before. Beckoning I couldn’t pass it having not planned to stop I had to pass the drive and turn around. Entering the office I asked the lady behind the counter if they might have a pair of headlight shells with the intact trim. She having no idea what I wanted. She suggested I drive out into the yards and look for myself. Oh golly gee whiz! That place ran deep in from the road maybe a half mile. OMG, what an supply depot for a tinker’s material candy store. I’ve got to go back there again soon with my tool box next time.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Lunch late and out of my way, some lama feeds to use up, I was off to the elevator for some the regular (usual) supplements I‘d short one bag for two lama replacements. Supplements one Greene’s back it was picking up the empty feed wagon one more stop ‘fore going home. All my tools off Greene’s back last night moved agin so I could get the Leland-Bradley combination out and bellied up to the shelled corn wagon, I managed the grind in good stead. The grindings trucked down the road and spotted as the usual in the front of that upper barn. Then I was off to finish my errand runs. Just like always about the time I finished what I had to be taken care of, I had about a half hour daylight left. Not even enough time to get into trouble I ambled home .Had truck to unload down at the barn and up to the house. Last stop was for a ten pound turkey while the picking out my choice without having to settle for a next week’s picked through leftovers.Goods what needed the freezer went freezer. Goods what needed shelving were shelved. Then it was guess was doing the laundry again. Two loads pilled high I had to do something about it. My socks and shorts might have been in there mine needing cleansed.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Hmmm? I must have been a good boy today, Frieda’s fixing me my supper. Just goes to show you I do something right every now and then! ;^)”Rainbows”Fernan

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

I have felt all Elaine has gone through. on a permanent rattler taking routine. I'm on coumadin, a beta drug, time released nitrates, pocketed emergency instant nitrates, vitamin iron, baby aspirin, and more. Some of them twice a day, others once a day. I sort out of prescription bottles into the daily bottles each morning. I do this each morning as for by the time I approach the needed second batch I'm brain dead and admittedly physically and mentally incapable for sorting the evening rations out for proper taking. I was better than a year under weekly blood tests and coumadin adjustments finally getting the medication right. That was when I had run out and found myself making do splitting one of my earlier supplies (prescription) over one of them four day weekends. I don't recommend it. But by accident I luckily got my take finally on the button.Between us Frieda and myself we were averaging four or more medical appointments a week. Some have been forgotten or run out of time missed. When we're covered under snow I'll be catching us up refitting the routines of two of the three I had let go.Frieda under the onslaught of medical appointments the last three months, she's been finally evening out and up to doing more around here. I've been reprieved doing dishes and laundry for awhile, and digging good things from the freezer.Days have become so cussed short, the amount of daylight having nothing to do with it, what with all the required extra sleep I believe we’re mimicking a duo Mr. and Mrs. Ripvanwrinkle. Then it’s where had the time gone. Once again your time will get easier liking a short changed third honeymoon, without no more woo-woo!~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Went down to the barn and did my chores mostly cloudy this AM, having had some rain over night the creek was up to the top of the banks and no frogs jumping. Grabbed my tobacco can and moseyed twice headed across the road before I made it. Sat around the Pirate’s fire exaggerating a couple true yarns while the elements tried mustering up a good rain. The rain I suppose we were supposed to have had yesterday.This afternoon I threw a pile of wood upon Dumpy truck’s bed. When I thought I had loaded enough I backed it up to the deck’s opened gate. Dumpy hit the deck so hard I thought I’d have found at the back door the hard way. Leaving Dump truck running for a while to recharge the battery I carried a first arm load woof into the living room. Coming back outside, the sun also coming out, and I saw Dumpy had developed some kind of a %8075&%798%%&(* attitude having cut out across the front yard, my having to go after it. Backing it up again with a stern resolve it’d had better stay where I put it. And it did. Working up a sweat I took a tea break. Dumpy half unloaded I had earned, and if I hadn’t, I took it anyway!Tea sipped-sipped until it was all gone before I returned to Dumpy’s wood load. Worked up another good sweat in the cool airs breezing around the house yards. Dumpy still where I had left it last there was almost enough wood on its back to fill the foyer to my predetermined level. Oh well, I won’t be waiting near as long again before I re-supply the house.Four o’clock only an hour from slipping into the twilight zone, to heck with it. It’s to late to start something else I can’t finish. Ah so, maybe I’ve got a couple three wee little odds and ends to tidy up. Well, it writes like a good idea plan, anyway.(hehehehe) I accomplished two out of the tree tasks. First, I managed to clean and oil the woodstove’s stack fan. Secondly, I spliced the leather belt on Frieda’s treadle sewing machine. The third task nailing the bottom a bureau draw to its back side has gone undone until I find the right brads.Back tracking I accomplished making some nowhere going phone calls. That irks me no end when my calls aren’t returned, specially when I’ve got a rare day hanging close into the house.“Rainbows.”Fernan

Fitting it all in can make for a full day; yet, while fitting farm activities altogether it doesn’t outside (offsite) influences interfere with my minds sanctity. It’s like I made a call to fit in my eye care and had an appointment days ahead what I thought it take to have my derriere sitting in the eye fitting cheaters seat. Now I wait for them to be made now excitedly waiting to see an improvement in what vision I have left. Today’s unplanned surprise was spending 90% of my day’s hours waiting for the Boss Lady’s blood report.It was a wonder I got and finished as much maintenance time I managed to fit all I had done today in. What’d I do? I finally put together the upper barn’s back door track stop, and the closed door striker. Following this I added a couple pieces 1”x6” treated lumber patches strengthening cracked element compromised: one a cracked member, the second adding substance to a worn bottom member its closure red sitting perching (a sort of tighter striker fitting).Four assorted tool boxes five buckets more tools, very varied bolts and nuts, and miscellaneous preconceived fitting use components for working doors and gates. I saw the whole menagerie of varied container puzzle as to which container was holding the hardware for the current needs attention completion. What a mess? Greene backed up to the shop the afternoon hour growing late (now that we’ve had the damnable government authorized time change) I continued my hustle to finish this days activity change so to be home before dark.Sheesh! There are times like these I feel as though I’m treating myself as a child! Is this just another aspect associated with an adult’s digression into the proverbial child like state?“Rainbows”Fernan

Monday, November 15, 2010

Today's the opening of firearms deer season.I'm afraid I'm going to pass on this morning's opening exercises.I haven't that once youthful energy to take on the early morning witchuals to face all the elements.One good thing about this decision, one more Bambi has been spared. Well, I at least come up with one good mature reason for staying home.Oh Lawd, such a beautiful day under cloudy day temps starting out at 35*. Not to bad for a body either sitting on a stump or perched in a tree. Sorry guy’s I’ll not miss the snow we haven’t yet gotten.Nice weather is my opera-tune-itty to finish up a several outdoor projects on varied outbuildings and fences.It’s alright, I’ve come close to averaging winter’s venison in the freezer. It’s alright, I’ve the vivid memories what can’t be taken away for so many fun time seasons. It’s alright, I remember my first hunt as well as some exceptionally memorable hunts since that beginning; my excitement my first year/kill, Frieda going with me our first married year, and later the kids going with on later hunts.Then there are the after-hours memory lane. (Particularly after the children had all gone to bed our early years.) Twenty some skins bagged and stored away for some memory savings years it had come the day I wanted to do something useful with or out of them. My choice was some fun buckskin clothing. My own were the easiest: regardless the simplicity the shirt and the complexity the leggings and loin covering. Butt, while I was seeing what I could do with those skins my outfit was actually an easy make for myself. On the other hand, or as it was in both hands on the pleasurable subject the activity could not have been called work. Her project, my projecting Frieda’s skins took a many an evening hands on fittings. Her Mostess’s lovable a-natural mannequin-ing taking a lot out of me again and again livelily taking part in fitting Frieda her deer skin parts. As I remember it was a wonder I had ever finished her buckskins our togethered workings in front of the heat of a cozying fireplace. (sigh) I’ll admit it literally took a sums of time longer to assemble her out fitting just right. So it’s only natural and all oh so alright that I remember a many those after-dark evening’s times.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~So! I've got to leave.........the State's Opening firearms dear hunting season to the younger generations. No longer may I see my rifle's sights. No longer will I chance falling off a tree perch better left to the birds. No longer will I sit and absorb the morning cold what inevitably settles in my arthritic joints making just rising and walking back out of the woodlots unnecessarily painful. Sadly, I’ll inevitably let my eyes water as I make my morning’s tea. I pray in my fashion for a safe hunt for all who participate.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Having not even gone a-field, so to speak, inventory taken, I was on the road for the Crossroads. I needed some assorted hardware supplies, milk for the home fridge and as I noticed once underway Greene needed a petrol drink. Gasoline price had dropped from $3.00 this weekend past to just $2.80 this very AM. Milk at a $1.99, plus a couple items down the candy and soda pop isles it cost me to $51.00 to get out of the super market. Sheesh! The dollar just doesn’t go as far as it used to!Lunch time by the time I got back I had some chicken fixed under a sweet and sour sauce, brown rice, and some what I’d guess was supposed to be wok stir cooked vegetables. I put some soy sauce on the rice. Then ate the whole tasty concoction kind-a stirred together being a wholly different eatened treat.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Clean up can take so irritatingly long. I’m referring to tidying up or better yet completing the finishing touches to what I had started and left uncompleted yesterday. Well, I’ve used the afternoon swinging the garden gate (only four foot wide). Wrenched some lag screws through the planks what had only been nailed temporary like to temporarily hold the first post I (we) reset yesterday. With my Estwing Hammer I happily drove a few more staples into the old fence wire.Okay, I didn’t get much done today. And it isn’t looking any to promising for tomorrow. Doc had called and demands a commanded Frieda’s appearance in his presents tomorrow. That’ll shoot the morning. Now I hope I’ve enough materials to keep me busy up there around those same fences and that barn tomorrow.Gosh it gets to be about 4:00PM its time to get around to either doing the chores or putting the outdoor tools away. 5:00 PM this afternoon (or evening) I was walking up to the house in the twilight zone, and the days are only going to get shorter yet over the next five more weeks.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Now isn’t this just grand. I was going to write about something else (a new topic likely) and I can not for the life of me remember what is was. So!“Rainbows.”Fernan

Sunday, November 14, 2010

Brrr! Today’s WSW wind had a real bite to it. And either with or with out help I was going to set those garden gate posts even if I had to do it all by my loathsome. Greene loaded with tools I dared it to rain as I didn’t even bother to pack along a water proof truck bed covering. Gathering all that I though I’d additionally need from the shop, I jumped the loader-backhoe first thing, before taking the loaded Greene up and park it in the general area I’d need various tools and components off it. Half way there I walked back down the hill for the differ-backhoe. With a chain I snatched my first fencepost off the hay wagon from where I had brought them up on a couple days earlier. On and off, off and on three gates I finally dropped the fence post on the feed lot’s ground. Then it was positioning the backhoe for excavating an old post out for renewing the space a-new for the replacement post.Dig-a dig-dig the old Ford did it’s thing under my nimble fingers extracting the rotted post form the ground where it had faithfully stood in the fence for something like the last thirty five years.. It was a bit tricky digging and swinging the Ford tractor’s boom and dropping the fill dirt quite out of the way. Emptying the hole was the easy part. Taking Ford from its digging position to pickup and bring to the hole the post I was deluged with about a dozen four footed beastlies. All over my dirt pile one of them even trying to stand on her head atop the pile was beyond my ability to understand her behavior. My greatest fear was what should one of them bump another into my two cubic yard post hole. That could become quite tricky getting the beast freed the hole it gotten itself near buried in?Setting the post was the most difficult part of the whole operation, particularly alone. Steering it the hole was no easy manner. It wasn’t until my second starting over attempt did I even get it close. The 14” by 14’ treated loblolly pine precariously hanging off the Ford’s loader-end. Hanging so I managed to pry the post’s base right where I wanted it to go. From there on my pole setting had become near impossible to manage. One chain to the bucket for I couldn’t let go yet. I employed two more chains, one each way laterally to steady the post. Having troubles I raided the shop for a couple cable come-a-longs. Plan was I’d rig them on the post sideways to center it steadied against the loader bucket.Thank goodness, Trapper had called and said he was on his way as he had promised me last week. On his arrival setting the post had finally become a snap. The first post set neatly nailed in via some old plank framing a water fountain the first post was in good shape, good positioning, thank goodness.Time for the second post the digging was much easier this time. It took two setting to get it right. Leveling it both ways for the gate opening and the fence’s alignment it went well. Trapper hand back filling, foot stomping the earth about both posts, the second post’s efforts took just half as long as the first post.Still, the day going on the afternoon beginning to drag Trapper’s help was appreciated even more. About the time I was also turning brain dead he kept me going. I don’t know what I’d done without him? I’d surely been a much longer day. Bringing back the woven fence, restringing the electric fence and re-electrifying it I kind-a let hanging the gate go, as did I’ll do a better job running more wires tomorrow, as well as driving lag screws in the old fountain framing planks.Myself exhausted having gone without lunch I was feeling the cool of the late afternoon soaking into my flesh and bones. It surely was quitting time by my watch. The job undone, knowing what’s needing doing, knowing another day will follow this one, it was more than time to pickup, and that’s just what we did, Trapper and me. Trapper having gone his way I was just finishing unloading Greene down into my barn for sundown to officially do its daily thing, set!I don’t care. I’m settling in with a bottle of wine and our TV. By-gum I think I’ve earned it.“Rainbows.”Fernan

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Try as I had, I near failed at getting anything done today. Raymond worried bout his firewood getting wet. So I fought with six the bean seed bags I used to cover his wood pile. About all I managed to do today was to load and unload Greene with my tools I should have needed to replace a couple gate posts what weren’t. Balderdash! Did fix an 1816 skid-steer tire with new inner tube. That was fun.Truthfully the whole day was more of a downer to/with me today. Still haven’t made up my mind whether I’ve either been depressed or melancholy all the day long?I’ve something bugging me! Has this ever happened to anyone else?I also know there’s an approximate ideal piece of treated 4”X6”X2’ lumber laying around these farms. I’ll be hanged if I can find it. Need it for mounting a missing door stop to a barn’s back door. Arrggghhhh!!!!! Oh well, tomorrow is another day.Meanwhile, “Rainbows.”Fernan

Friday, November 12, 2010

Taking inventoryI’ve been accused of getting into my own booze. Really. She’d finished off the Southern Comfort I hadn’t shared in for many years. Amazing how quickly that remained that bottle had gotten taken some months back. Purchasing another fifth for medicinal purposes I chose this time an imported Jamaican Rum for lets face it, it was cheap. I didn’t open it. I haven’t even sniffed the lid. Yet, I’m being accused of hitting my own bottle. This is to weird for words. I’m not the one making myself a Coffee Royal as has been the case with Her Mostess. Hmmmm! If I’ll ever try a sampling, I’d better be sampling it shortly if I‘m to even taste it. Can it be believed, I’ve encountered a very serious condition evidently troublesome to our home’s environment. We‘ve a serious evaporation problem.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Out even extra early to accomplish something, I just knew the day was going to be busted up but good. Not to be disappointed it was. I did manage to make some great head way with those barn doors. I got them as far along in less than two hours over what it might have taken me four hours late yesterday afternoon. Still have a number of details needing handling up there; but the repairs are looking good. Parts of a couple more days I may surpass the last time I had put in the Fall hours required to tidy up those nuisance fixes.Handy, been found eligible for assistance we had to pick him up on the way to keep Fried’s medical appointment. Time in a crunch my plan was I drop him off first and go onto Frieda’s appointment. I don’t think we were 15 minutes total Frieda’s medical exam her knee surgeries. Frieda taken care of we had some time to kill before picking up, Handy. Went by Thrifty Acres (was along the way) my treating Frieda to more yarn, and stupid ear rings. Sheesh! They don’t do a thing for me. Okay, out of there Frieda has lately making some funny noises about wanting some broasted chicken. Well at least deep fried a quit stop by Long John’s for two take outs we were right on time for picking up, handy, or were we? Michigan’s Family Independent Agency was still cooling Handy’s heals in the waiting room. He wasn’t called in for his appointment for over two hours later. To add insult to gross lack of respect, They kept Handy another hour for an in depth interview.Son of a gun! Try to do a neighbor a good turn and the establishments system has no respect for time those trying to help another out what so ever. All told I dangerously put up with ten miles hellish traffic, and almost (Hell, all afternoon) time lost I could really have used around the farm buildings. Bureaucracy sucks, I had no idea my helping hand time was so very worthless. I lost the entire day from (say) 2:00 o’clock on.Stopped by to see my seamstresses, including buying a loaf of bread for cash back on a purchase, so I could pay the ladies their efforts to keep me comfortable. Wow! An aged barnyard tux has been given another year’s lease for my Winter’s use. My second pair of bibs have gotten the knees padded. My quoted cost (bill) handed me a month ago was at $25.00. Today I was charger $15.00. I tried pointing out her short changing herself and I was denied or retold the bill $15.00 was correct. Okay, Another pair pants to go, I’ll be back to see these lovely ladies again and again. ;^)Getting home scarily more than an hour before dark I gave it up. Unloaded truck. Took a walk out to see the two ladies with their latest calves.And, all was quiet in the Western pasture as may be seen above.

It would appear Fall is definitely giving way to Winter……….my imaginatively seeing all these empty bleachers without playing fields. Picture taken out side Thrifty Acres this afternoon.

This scooter catching my eye I had to take a closer look…..……and found it to be a Schwinn. I’d guess Schwinn bicycles aren’t an alone mode of peddled transportation anymore. An engine has been added. I like the color. Can’t help being noticed.Well, for a lost day, taking in some of the sights wasn’t all that bad.“Rainbows”Fernan

Thursday, November 11, 2010

The Silent treatment revisited, the following morning I thought it best a have some torn flesh on my hand looked at and bare my arm for tetanus shot. Silence is golden but not for the remainder of my lifetime. Stopping downtown the Otisville metropolis I moseyed into the loco Fairhaven Store. Picked up one them shopping baskets and commenced to fill it with skein after skein of baby blanket project wool.Waltzing back into the house just as I were the Lord and master of it were my castle. I gave the big plastic shopping bag with is fuzzy contents getting a big smile and attitude as if nothing had ever transpired. She’s no silent anymore. Ohh? Why did I ever do something nice for her making her feel so yackity yack……. Her ever since feeling good.To late now, o’ why o’ why hadn’t I negotiated an out clause? . ….don’t talk back.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Day’s start had me spreading Philadelphia cream cheese on oat meal toast. Not liking peanut butter for breakfast I save my peanut butter eating for an occasional noon hour lunch sandwich of a late night just before turning in snack.Well as the mop flops: Everywhere Herr Clink goes, this morning to Doc’s office for instance, Frieda’s rallying support for my keeping the Greene truck. (grrr) Darn, I show her just a wee bit of luxury and she wants to become accustomed to it.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~By the time I’ve gotten back home after a tough afternoon single handedly trying to put back together those same taken apart barn doors. Her Mostess’s is talking as if it’s her idear I should sell Greene. What a turn around. Could it be the grand kids wanting to come up here? Might it have been my grand daughter unsuccessfully trying to put the bit on me for some heavy traveling cash (insurance and plate for their motor home). Frieda’s finally catching onto the tight money sitssheation plaguing us. First problem is the getting Ugly into the shop for some serious getting into its fixings and quieting modifications. Wimmin?!?!?!? Can’t live with’em, can’t trade her off. Sheesh! ;^)“Rainbows”Fernan

*******The Silent TreatmentThe wife and I just casually conversing, my thinking out loud I happened to mention I want to sell the Greene truck after Ugly‘s repaired including adding a pair of quieting mufflers, Frieda immediately went through an instant metamorphosis transformed into Herr Clink‘s right on into a rarer alter persona, Attila the Hun. Starting out a thought, the atmosphere turned into a disagreement, eventually coming to giving each other the silent treatment.Well this has about to go on for a couple days.Knowing I had forgotten some mechanical work I hadn’t completed, I wanted Frieda to wake me at 5 a.m. as I wanted to finish it up in the barn before I spent the rest of the day putting in time on the loader-digger, skid-steer, and eventually on a tractor before had finished the rest of my day. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), I wrote her a note, "Please wake me at 5 a.m." Then left it right where he knew she would find it one of her middle of the night water hauls.Experiencing an almost sleepless nite, the next morning, waking up, it was already 9 AM. and I wanted to be up in the barn before I had to go get on the tractors. Furious, I was about to go to see why Herr Clink hadn't wakened me when I noticed a note taped on the computer monitor..The note said: "It is 5 a.m. Wake up."[i]I got to tell ya, men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.[/i]Fernan********

Isn’t rather interesting how much better a tale grows and improves when the original story teller repeats it over and over again. Now, I wouldn’t particularly stretch a truth would I?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~As far as the day went I fouled it all day long. First off Missed my eye appointment by some four hours between forgetting the ordinal appointment time and the rescheduling. The there’s all the good news and bad news bit. Unfortunately it was real newsy. Good news! First October eye care had been reinstated. I only I hadn’t realized about it until a week or so ago. That’s Okay. Bad news! Only then two weeks ago it was almost all taken away. Good news there is a more scratch resistant lenses material. Bad news! Now I have to pay for the materials and 20% the examination. Bad news. My right eye is legally blind. More bad news! Only needing one lenses my present eye glass frame are obsolete. Bad news continuing, can’t just have one lenses ground for new frames. Rule is must have two lenses. Good news. The whole of the additions came up less than the national debt.Farm wise I got very little done today. I cut one sheet of plywood for the taken apart barn door. And moved some equipment. For some short lived entertainment I looked at the Truckster trying to figure out the wiring. Found an electrical schematic in my old Cushman manual that could possibly parallel this machine’s wiring needs. Looking at the machine long enough, all the wires bleached out colors, I’m thinking of ignoring the original wiring harness and starting a new one of my own making. So many components inoperable anyway and I want to make some changes and additions a new wire harness just may be the easier way to go.‘Rainbows”Fernan

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

A full morning of machine time before hated lunch. Surprisingly I didn’t dump it this afternoon having eaten it for lunch. I dislike tuna fish sandwitches. One of these days I’ve just plainly have got to quit making them!Spent my afternoon up at the barn eradicating all the damaged portions the slide-by tracked front doors. I’d like to put them back together tomorrow. I’ll see? I even got around to beating the rear barn door gate into submissive the hinges fitting once again easily taking the closuring hinged pins.Worst part of my day was my hitting my wall by the PM changed 3:30 time. (grumble-grumble) Retiring down to the shop to tidy up Greene’s load and perhaps play with the Haulster for a few minutes< was punished baby sitting (for the lack of a better term for it) my Brother handing him either this or that plus holding for a moment some thing somewhere. “Hold this.“ “Hand it back.” Just what I wanted to do. My left knee grumbling so painfully I had to earlier give up tidying up lugging away some temporary cattle handling gates from in front the barn. All I wanted to do was tidy up Greene and quietly sit contemplating the Haulster’s electrical starting problem? I want to hear it run! And most of all I wanted to do it restfully sitting down, to also let some of my back pain go away.Frieda needing (wanting) eggs, Handy having called need some medication for his Mom I picked him up for the Crossroads. Dropping Handy off I hit the hardware ordering me some plates for securing a few corners those barn doors. Back at the grocery store for Her Mostess’s eggs brown eggs were half the price of white eggs! What? A few months ago eggs were retailing the other way around price wise. Now I wonder if I did good getting the brown eggs. Some folks say the brown ones are tastier. Me, I don’t know? They all taste about the same to me when I’ve blackened any egg with enough black pepper. ;^)“Rainbows”Fernan

Monday, November 8, 2010

About first thing I did his AM I called Doc’s office for a tetanus shot. Can’t just get a shot. I’ve got to be seen. Examined poked and prodded. The whole ordeal my ripping my hand open on a extremely rusty stretch of barbed wire yesterday I had just let it bleed clear. Well as it was the sin flap flapped back into its snagged hole and was well scabbed over this morning. It might have taken a stitch yesterday only I don’t see any advantage in aggravating my hand again this morning for a sewing I didn’t/don’t think it needs upon this late next day hour. None the less I got dragged over to a sink for a good dousing hydrogen peroxide and band aided. Then me and my big mouth Frieda was called and an appointment made. I see my optometrist Wednesday, and Frieda see’s doctors Thursday and Friday. Looks like a medical week this week. When am I supposed to get anything done?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I finished up all the mechanical up to the barn. I back fill the trench tomorrow and that’s done. Still have those two garden gate posts to replace. I’d like to have them done this week during this four day dry spell while the yards are drier as in much less muddy.Whatever else I did today I’ve forgotten as and old coot’s standard procedure.Oh yeah, I happened to mention I may be selling the Greene pickup truck. Gosh, a body might think I had started WWIII. Herr Clink immediately went up in arms. Might say she’s on the warpath. Sheesh, such an emotional woman. Problem is I’ve got to many trucks. I get Ugly fixed including some quiet muffling, it’ll work for me better than this wimpy Greene pickup. I got to have a truck what’ll get the job done. Ugly’s a near unstoppable horse when it comes to pulling itself alone or with a wagon in tow through mud and snow. Besides I’ll feel better Greene’s worth be back in the bank. (hehehe) Money’s for other projects: Haulster, Dumpy truck, Quadracycle, of course while working in the Azzkicker’s finishing touches for next year. Speaking of the Azzkicker I should get busy and construct another one over the winter now that the first one’s working.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~See: I haven’t forgotten every thing I’ve either been working on, wanting to get to, or aught to finish.“Rainbows”Fernan

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Goofy time change again. This Fall fiasco has me feeling as though I’ve had a working hour taken away from me, my time stolen. I still think, consider, and say as long as the gooberment thought they were doing me a favor, to get me off the street via natures own natural curfew, they could have waited until the Thanks Giving weekend to do it. (grrr) A proper weekend to re-acclimate children and parents, including (my kind) the greats’ to the change the waking hours.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~As long as I’m up so early, here’s a couple snaps the latest gate posts requiring replacement. This project wont be the easiest.Note the deterioration the two wooden posts the right hand side of the picture. They’s only been there no more than 35 year. One’s a railroad tie, the other a portion off a utility pole. Sheesh, nothing lasts anymore! Plus, sure hope nobody else has been missing them all those years?What make’s their replacement tricky at this time is the amount of dirt I must remove taking either one of them or stumps out of the ground. The holes rather large managing two post simultaneously may be a bit tricky. Additionally I want to tie these two posts together at their tops for extra strength each may give the other; and the post tall enough for such extra support will make them much handier carrying the electrical fence wire over all our heads, man and beast alike.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This reminds me I need to fashion some sort of a windowed door upon a weather tight outdoor housing for the fence charger. The cause is to eliminate our need to enter and walk through the entire building when it’d be easier to see and service the electrical appliance’s working status in passing or stopping. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~And now, how about a busy picture of yesterday morning’s shindig.Let me explain it. The good looking gentleman on the left manning the gates in his barnyard tux just happens to be yours truly. The next gentleman moving left to right is Brother Raymond bent over recording the last man‘s (the vet his findings. The Vet is easily recognized his hand in his work up to his shoulder pregnancy checking the easily steadied lady before him in the heavily dutied head supported squeeze chute. The red framed thing is a grooming chute used for show beatifying the ladies for one as well as calves for 4H club shows. The ATV belongs to Tom to far to the right along with Keith to be caught in this picture where’s they’re rather busy encouraging the ladies to walk down the chute.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Barry and I worked at this all day for a mere need to replace one simple little light switch. It was broken and did we ever go the long hard way all the way around to fix the all of what wasn’t broken.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Only one day into the time change my mind and body can’t adjust to the simplicity of a single hour’s change. (BAH!) Time changes.“Rainbows”Fernan

Friday, November 5, 2010

Just some Shorthorn country pictures…Pictures form up and down our farms road.At homeOne of the Fall calve with her mom in my corral or holding pen.When the calf’s numbered, tattooed, and tagged they’ll be moved down to the tenant farm to winter.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~At the tenant farmThis imposing beast had her whole head into my drivers door not once but twice. Here she’s thinking about doing it again. I must have chased her around Greene three times before I had finally discouraged her looking for the owners manual on how to drive Greene. .This all went on while I was cutting the last two fence posts out of pile of utility poles. Yeah, I know, I didn’t think to take picture her then.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Down the roadAnother fall calf. This is one of two more there. The total count is now up to six fall calves.Again, once numbered, tattooed and tagged these ladies and their off spring will also be transported to winter quarters. Looking up to upper right hand corner looks like Mom’s dinner is on the way.Life’s good.“Rainbows”Fernan

Dream’s, what do they mean? I’ll never forget one catastrophic dream that had involved me, that dream putting my life’s existence on the edge of survival having dreamt it three times the last time three days before it had actually happen Labor Day 1998, only it was my brothers life put in jeopardy when he lost a limb I a home-made chopper accident.This last week I’ve had another repeated dream. I’m involved swinging a hammer in a very restrictive place having to do with something refusing to move either going together or coming apart. From aside my activity it might have looked like I had either lost the hammer it slipping from or thrown by my hand in disgust bouncing and clanking like across a concrete floor. Nothing nor nobody was hurt although some question was raised as was the act intentional or an accident.Oddly enough while nobody else was with me to see it. Frieda was sitting inside the truck, her only help my traveling companion otherwise, keeping me on the road driving on the ball. It was while putting the trucks together as a single road’s traveling unit I was using a hammer my trying to persuade a bolt stubbornly failing to go through a series of holes for one bolt’s eventual pivoting motion to hold the whole thing together. Well, I didn’t have much room to swing a hammer in an upward motion, And I lost it slipping from my hand, not going far, looking like it was bouncing upon a crushed limestone covered driveway.Oddly enough for another again, concrete is made from finally crushed limestone and fired to make cement which is a concrete ingredient. I’m wondering if my dream and our truck motoring episodes are relative? Just the same I’m watching myself the next few days having a couple very difficult gate posts to replace once or when I’ve an assistant’s help. This new work scene involves lots of infection potential rusty wire for hide scratching peeling back some ugly woven fence. A wire fence needing saving as hopefully next year we may bury a bigger, more or higher stronger PSI water line. That project will also include relocated water fountains and total replacement a couple critical fences with new.Thinking about it. I aught to just replace the fencing and peel it back for the new water line when it’s actually done.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Damn! A critical repair today lumped together with another involves a couple repair in the cattle sorting pens down by (by, in, under the lower barn roofs). Vet’s coming out to pregnancy check the ladies. These acts can determine who’ll continue staying around or getting an all expense paid trip to the live stock exchange social. Oh crap. A hammer’s required again?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~For our yesterday dual trucking adventure, passing through the town Vassar, Mich. They’ve already gotten their civic Christmas decorations up. Am I moving slower or is the world moving faster? Is this civic or commercial ploy suggesting it’s time I get in a Christmas mood sooner then the later when I was a kid.I remember as a kid Christmas preparations slowly started right after Thanks Giving slowly building up to speed the last couple weeks before Christmas. I remember shopping was always the most fun in-on the snow. Frieda and I married in the snow, shopping with her-for her in the snow was a gas. Newly weds in December snow covered fresh daily the entire holiday season no stage could have been more perfectly set for two young lovers. Out on the town her wearing smile behind rosy cheeks, he a walking tall boy turned going broke dressing her gentleman. How I liked watching her modeling this’n’that for me, my choosing for her, her married wardrobe. She’s enjoyed wearing for me all the selections I had-have chosen for her. She has indeed been a pleasure to dress and undress for over a half century.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~By myself some challenging rigging and blocking I replaced what’s ordinarily difficult bolt in a combination pen/squeezing gate down in the barns chute complex. I also re-nailed a barn door opening shut that was supposed to be another avenue to a someday inside working shoot plus a couple indoor pens.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Got to work fences the kids had plowed out this last month. One of them little jobs needing done before the ground freezes. Reminds me I had better set my “Postings“, and perhaps this winter’s needed temporary close in fence posts.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Having fixed the squeeze-sorting gate I had noticed somebody-everybody had failed to tell me the alley leading into the chutes were coming apart one of the cattle panels already badly bent. Shucks, everything I needed was in the shop. I tried calling Handy, to see if he needed ride for anything over at the crossroads? No answer. Non the less I stopped. Seems his mother is in dire need of a phone ear rectumy. Knocking on the doors, all afar. I got him just before he’d slipped their supper into the oven. He came along for whatever ride I had in mind. WE stopped by the shop, my digging out more tools and fence fixing materials before going on. Once we got there I mailed out a couple manuals somebody wanted more than me. Got milk, and gassed up Greene. On way back one more stop for forgotten bolt cutters. Knowing that bent cattle panel was going to defeat 90% of any attempt on my part to fix anywhere near right, I quickly volunteered Handy’s help. I’ll bet we weren’t 15 minutes stapling it all back onto a railroad tie post, then took him home. Thanks again, Handy! Boy! What extra hand can accomplish!!! Getting back again I wired some more wire, drove a few more staples enough, the fence is better than it was, was about to really fall apart.After noon turning into evening my ears feeling the evening chill, the time was close enough to call. Besides I’ve got nothing to be ashamed of if I had a time card. While the day was cloudy it was still a good one in my book.“Rainbows”Fernan

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Leaving just after light was home before twelve noon. An 1 1/2hr going, an 1 1/4hr hooken them together (including jockeying motors for 2 bat jumps), 2 ½ hr return trip, ¼ to divide. Was a four and a half hour round trip door to door. The trucks hooked together there, taken apart here. Trucks running so good together, a SMV on the last one, I drove them home via state roadways all the way. The Battery jumping was the craziest, jumping the Dumpy truck, then Greene lights on it’s battery died, Dumpy truck returned the favor. Thought I’d near never got that front center bolt through all the holes, alignment so touchy park letting Greene roll a mere I/2” was a pain in the rear. Finally got it throwing a 2x4 under Greene’s front tire. Sheesh! Why can’t things just be done easily.A shammitch, slaw and grape juice for lunch. And in as much as I was no longer out terrorizing the rest of the motoring world, I put in shop time. 1618 Case skid-steer’s flat tire fixing inner tube here, an Ollie to break down the tire bead, I tried to put the two together. Bro’ had brought home the most useless inner-tube I have ever seen. I don’t believe there is any way, shape, manner, or form that’ll let me install the craziest long metallic to be bolted down valve stemmed abortion I’ve ever witnessed. That inner-tube has got to be exchanged for one that’ll fit or at least work!Here they are Greene and Dumpy truck all hooked up. We hadn’t traveled a half mile my checking it all out. Checked it out again another four mile down the road as I was about to pull out on State Road. In the back ground is just mere sample the hundreds of square miles devoted to raising sugar-beets. I believe there’re three Pioneer Sugar Processing Plants in Michigan’s thumb area. So many sugar beets grown in this area there are sub storage stations to handle and hold all the yearly crop raised.This is the towing apparatus I’d, saved from the clapper. I’ve rigged it for either pushing or pulling (so to speak) upon a motor vehicle’s front or rear bumper. We’ve covered a great many miles together over the years. Been right handy!Home, in, and contented.“Rainbows”Fernan

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Been talk over the net about killing snakes and eating lately. I’ve got to make one-something perfectly clear first. My dad put it to me stress the fact that I wasn’t to kill anything I weren’t going to eat. While there are a many different philosophies covering lives and deaths I once…a-err…twice seen him break his own rule. Both times I seen him do it in or on a dump site (one those places some many folk at one time use to dispose of their trash. I saw him actively drop his philosophy with a strong forked stick the forks but mere stubs using that stick around about a (get this) a non existent Michigan rattler (there’s been spread some untruth about Michigan ain’t got no rattlers, told for to long a time). One them snakes was just a little ways south of where I’m living here upon, one them once upon a time, TWP dump’s near Royal Oak, Mich.. Boy was he ever mad at it telling me to stay away while he performed his killing deed. Oh tes, that slippery creature had the renown rattlers. While that was once, there was a second time when after we had all picked up and moved back Michigan’s west side to where my folks remembered their best growing up times, Dad did it again only that time it was upon a private dump site down in our farms wooded ravine. The place a existed a heavily clay lined oil drillers sludge pit. Yup, it was another forked stick and pocket knife with which he preformed his murderous deed. The head cut off, the rattlers saved to dry, the only next honest thing he didn’t do again, he had neglected to bring the middle that snake home for eating. It may be he hadn’t heard those creatures were good eating. But, then again, why were those slippery snakes homesteading dumpsites as they had. Could it have been they were doing what was in Mother Nature’s plan they help mankind ridding those places where vermin they attract multiply.The farm crops harvested off the fields, leaves fallen off most (save the oaks) trees, deer in the rut, hunters in the woodlots and fields wild life is on the move. I’ve had to slow it down this road between the farms never knowing when a deer or more will jump out. I also have to laugh for as I was planting to the north end that field, some fifteen turkeys having strutted out upon that field, realizing they weren’t alone, when seeing me the whole lot immediately crouched, and as like slinking, lowered themselves as if making themselves invisible and shyly hurried to the far side the field as they saw it. Animals are so entertaining wild or domestic. The new calico kitten we’ve taken in is an entertainment committee all by herself. Perplexed, we still haven’t found a name for her she either likes or responds to.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~The rye planted…..Nobody healthy enough to go with to bring home new truck. Frieda putting life in my hands. We're going after it tomorrow, towing it home. Gonna be a trip liking a tail wagging a dog. Break neck speeds may get all the way up as high as between 15 and 20 mph on back roads.Anybody wants to help, wish Frieda a bountiful amount of Good Luck.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Back to basics…Was nice day all day. Morning frost so thick It looked like a measurable snow? A gallon of luke warm water was my windshields choice of refreshments. Skidsteer took two does to thaw both sides clear. Watered the cow, even got her own hay bale and bale cover. No more hauling hay from down the road. I can peal her one from my side the fence. Put more stuff away trying fine Greene’s floor. Didn’t do much good more than half the stuff I’ll need for this weekend’s gate post changes. I cut some more gate posts, hauled, and spotted. Hit back for financial help planning. Whew! The day was shinning brighter when I left there. Looks like plastic debt is under control. It’ll be even more so when I cu out Frieda’s beer and I take up drinking my home made red pop taking up dungeon space.Reloaded truck with towing paraphernalia for tomorrows short trip retrievable truck trip. The goofy tow bar was in the next to the last place I was going to look. Whew, close call, without it I might have had to shanghais me a driver. Plan is to leave here before light. Hopefully be back by noon. Safety chains loaded as are assembly safety links. The universal SMV was the easiest of all to find as I’ve been putting it back in the same place for years. The Tow-bar, I couldn’t remember the last time I used it having no idea where I had put it to be handy. Having a mind working like a steel trap doesn’t hoit. What does I can’t remember where I had left my key (grin)“Rainbows.”Fernan